Freeze My Love
by Wolfram003
Summary: DISCONTINUED. After receiving a call from a worried Al, Roy goes to investigate Ed's disappearance in Xenotime. Meanwhile, Fullmetal has come down with a nasty illness and is found by Russell Tringham. Romance ensues. RussellxEd, RoyxEd, and others.
1. Chapter 1

_Rating_: PG-13

_Warnings_: Shonen-ai (possibly yaoi), spoilers

_Pairings_: Roy x Ed, one-sided Russell x Ed, possible Envy x Ed, implied Al x Winry

_Genre_: Angst, Romance, Alternate Ending to the Series!

_Summary_: After receiving a call from a worried Al, Roy goes to investigate Ed's disappearance in Xenotime. Meanwhile, Fullmetal has come down with a nasty illness and is found by Russell Tringham. Romance ensues. RussellxEd, RoyxEd, and others. Alternate ending to the TV series.

_AN_: Hello everyone! This is my first FMA fic, and hopefully, it won't be my last! The title, _Freeze My Love_, is actually the title of a song by the Japanese band Glay. Hughes will still be alive just because he's a loveable character that everyone should like. -nods- Anyways, this story will be loosely based on the anime, and it pretty much ignores the real ending of the series. For the record, the DVDs I own are in Japanese, and the subtitles could definitely be better. So, if you see any mistakes concerning names of characters or towns, please point them out. Oh! I'm also trying not to use any Japanese terms (eg: taisa, -kun, -san, niisan) in this story, so I apologize if this annoys you. Be sure to comment if you read the story! n.n

_Disclaimer_: Fullmetal Alchemist belongs to Hiromu Arakawa, Square Enix, Funimation, and others. Is my name anywhere on that list? No.

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**Freeze My Love**  
_Chapter One  
by Abyssinian003_

Dark eyes briefly glanced at the stacks of paper cluttering the top of a large, wooden desk. Almost immediately, after sweating nervously as thoughts about what Riza Hawkeye would have done had she been there to see him slacking off, Roy Mustang returned to his self-given duty of washing the windows. Physical labor beat paperwork any day in his honest opinion.

Wiping the soapy water from a section of the glass pane, the Flame Alchemist sighed in boredom. There was nothing to do! His staff, including Hawkeye, was on a short vacation for the time being, and Fullmetal was in Resembool with Alphonse.

The brothers had been successful in restoring the younger Elric's body, but Ed's automail limbs remained. The short alchemist didn't seem to mind, but no one really knew why. Whenever someone would ask him, he always told them the same thing, "I'd feel weird without them." Then he would grin brightly, erasing everyone's doubts.

That is, everyone's doubts except Roy's. Over the year, the colonel had learned to read between the lines with Fullmetal. Mustang had the feeling what Ed was actually thinking was, "This is my punishment."

Suddenly, the phone rang, and Roy jumped, startled for a brief moment. Finally, something to do! He quickly dropped the soapy towel and grabbed the phone. He would even be happy to listen to Hughes talk about Elysia for hours on end! Bringing the receiver to his ear, he answered, "Roy Mustang."

"Hello, Colonel Mustang, this is Alphonse," a young voice sounded through the phone. Mustang eased himself into his chair as Alphonse Elric continued. "By chance, have you seen Brother? He left yesterday for Xenotime, but he apparently never showed up. I thought he might have gone to Central instead."

Roy raised an eyebrow at Al's assumption, "He hasn't been here, Alphonse." A hint of frustration crept into the younger Elric's voice, "I swear, when I find him..." The boy trailed off, and a worried silence ensued. "Is something else going on?" Roy ventured almost hesitantly.

"It's nothing, really! It's just that Brother was coming down with a cold when he left for Xenotime. Maybe he got sidetracked and forgot to call me. That must be it! Don't you think so, Colonel Mustang?" Roy was amazed at how easily Al could convince himself that his brother was fine and made an affirmative noise. The youthful Elric thanked him for listening and hung up.

Roy folded his gloved hands under his chin as he thought. No one was here, and he didn't really want to do his paperwork. He eyed the stack wearily. It would take all day. Plus, if he went to Xenotime and found Fullmetal, he'd be able to hold the incident over the short alchemist's head. Though, he smirked to himself, it's not as though that was a difficult feat in the first place considering the older Elric brother's height.

Placing his hands on the desk and pushing himself to his feet, the Flame Alchemist declared to the empty room, "Alright! I've decided that I'm going." He shrugged his blue military jacket over his white-clothed shoulders and stalked out of the office like a man on a mission, which, technically, he was, however self-given the mission may have been.

"Hey! Wait, Elisa! Don't run off by yourself!" Russell Tringham, a blond-haired, gray-eyed teenage boy ran after the small, brown-haired girl. He paused, put his hands on his knees, took a few deep breaths, and began chasing the giggling child again. How could someone so short run so fast? His mental question brought up a memory of a short, albeit older, boy with a blond braid, golden eyes, and a violent temper. A smirk tugged at his handsome features. Ed was _very_ fast for someone of his stature.

"Russell!" The teen's head snapped up, and he looked around until his line of sight rested on Belsio's niece. "Russell!" she exclaimed again, and this time the blonde noticed that she was pointing to something at the bottom of the hill she was standing on. He forced his long legs to take quick strides, and soon he was next to the girl, softly scolding, "Don't run off again, Elisa. Now, what are you pointing at?"

Stormy eyes spotted a patch of crimson on the emerald green grass. "Is that it?" Russell asked the girl. Elisa nodded, "Yeah!" Hesitating only for a moment, Russell knelt down and looked into the girl's brown eyes, "Stay here and be good, okay?"

After Elisa nodded, Russell slowly made his way down the steep hill. He slipped a few times on the dew-damp grass, but he managed to keep his balance each time. As he got closer to the crimson mass, Russell noticed that it was actually thick red fabric. With each step he took, a new detail appeared. When he saw the person's golden head of hair, something in his mind clicked, and he ran forward as quickly as he could.

He dropped to his knees next to the person's body and slowly murmured prayers under his breath. With a shaking hand, he reached out to touch the person's shoulder and carefully turned the blonde onto his back. Recognizing the stunning features anywhere, Russell gasped, "Ed!"

The older boy didn't respond, and it was then that Russell noticed his flushed cheeks, pale face, and harsh breathing. Stray, golden strands of hair clung to his sweat-soaked skin, curling slightly. The younger blonde placed his hand against Ed's forehead and frowned. The Fullmetal Alchemist definitely had a fever, but Russell wasn't sure how bad it was.

Deciding to take the elder blonde to Belsio's house, the tall alchemist carefully gathered Ed's small form into his arms and rose to his feet. He glanced along the length of the steep incline before spotting a less dangerous route than the one he used to come down. He called to Elisa and nodded over to where he was going to head up. As the girl nodded and ran over to meet him, Russell made his way up the slick, crumbling rock path.

"Is that Mr. Ed? Is he okay?" Elisa asked with worry shining in her innocent brown eyes. Russell began walking toward Belsio's lemon orchard, "Yes, it's Ed, and I don't think he's doing too well." Elisa trailed behind the tall teenager quietly as they made their way to her uncle's house.

As they arrived at the front door, Elisa opened it for Russell, and he gave a grateful nod. "Could you get your uncle for me, Elisa?" the tall alchemist asked as he made his way to his room, the one which, now that he thought about it, Ed must have stayed in before.

He gently lowered the unconscious alchemist's body onto his bed and worriedly bit his lip. He really shouldn't let Ed sleep in his wet clothes. A light pink hue of embarrassment dusted his pale cheeks as he set about undressing the other alchemist.

Lemon-colored hair hid his right eye from sight as he determinedly pulled off the older teenager's boots and set them on the floor. The gray-eyed young man tugged Ed's damp crimson coat from his shoulders with a bit of difficulty, but when he succeeded in his task, he draped the jacket on the back of a nearby chair to dry. He eyed the shorter boy for a moment before he decided that the alchemist was still wearing too many damp articles of clothing.

Russell hesitated to take off Ed's black over shirt, suddenly feeling a bit hot under the collar. He tugged a bit at his shirt in hopes to cool himself down a bit. He wasn't quite sure why he felt so flustered, but he had his suspicions.

Getting over his nervousness, he undid the clasp on the black shirt and, with even more difficulty than the jacket, he finally wrestled the jacket from the small body. "Alright. Just a little more, Russell," he cheered himself on. Mentally, he noted that it was not a good sign for a person to talk to himself.

Russell's stormy-hued eyes drifted over the figure on the bed after removing Ed's black tank top which he promptly added to the growing pile of clothes on the chair, pausing at the leather pants the other was wearing. Should he? His heart raced, and his cheeks burned as his eyes continued to wander over Ed's muscled torso, taking in the scars both from battles and automail surgery.

He once again tugged at his collar as he turned to leave the room to get a bowl of water and a washcloth to help the short alchemist's fever. He'd leave Ed's pants on. He wasn't sure he could handle taking them off without dying of... some emotion. Russell shook his head and walked out the door into the hall.

Was it really hot in that room, or was it just him?

**End Chapter One

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**

_AN_: Please remember to review!


	2. Chapter 2

_Rating_: PG-13

_Warnings_: Shonen-ai (possibly yaoi), spoilers

_Pairings_: Roy x Ed, Russell x Ed, possible Envy x Ed, implied Al x Winry

_Genre_: Angst, Romance, Alternate Ending to the Series!

_Summary_: After receiving a call from a worried Al, Roy goes to investigate Ed's disappearance in Xenotime. Meanwhile, Fullmetal has come down with a nasty illness and is found by Russell Tringham. Romance ensues. RussellxEd, RoyxEd, and others. Alternate ending to the TV series.

_AN_: Hello everyone! Thank you for the great reviews! I never expected so many! Review responses are after the chapter. Once again, this story will be loosely based on the anime, and it pretty much ignores the real ending of the series and the events of episode 25.

_Disclaimer_: Fullmetal Alchemist belongs to Hiromu Arakawa, Square Enix, Funimation, and others. "Freeze My Love" belongs to Glay.

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**Freeze My Love**  
_Chapter Two  
by Abyssinian003_

When Russell finally returned to his room with the bowl of water and washcloth, Elisa and Belsio were waiting for him. Noticing his brother wasn't present, he asked, "Where's Fletcher?" The man with dark, wavy hair replied, "He went to pick up some medicine. He'll be back soon." Elisa's uncle gestured to Ed, "Do you know what happened to him?"

The tall teenager found himself walking closer to Ed and fighting off a blush once again as he set the water and cloth on the bedside table. In response to Belsio's question, he shook his head and replied, "No. He was just lying on the ground when Elisa spotted him. He hasn't woken up yet, so we don't know what happened."

Belsio strode over to stand at the side of the bed and placed his tanned hand against Ed's forehead. Almost immediately, the owner of the house moved to grab the washcloth. He dunked it in the water and twisted it with both hands, wringing the crystal liquid out of it. The man brushed Edward's sweat-soaked bangs out of the way and placed the cool rag against the short teen's fiercely burning skin. Wiping his wet hands on his pants, he turned to Russell and said, "He has a fairly high fever. It's a good thing you and Elisa found him."

Russell's face was blank, but his eyes were laced with worry as they drifted over Ed's body. Was he really that sick? How did he come to Xenotime in his condition? More importantly, _why_ did he come to Xenotime even though he was ill? Inexplicable irritation swelled in him, and Russell suddenly wanted to throttle the Fullmetal Alchemist. How could someone that cared so much about others' well-being care so little about his own?

Coal-colored eyes scanned the relaxing countryside scenery. Roy Mustang took a deep breath of Xenotime's fresh air. Stretching, he decided he'd thank Ed in the subtlest way possible for allowing him to escape his office in Central. Now, where to begin his search for the short alchemist?

Roy made his way through the small crowd that had come to Xenotime by train. He finally escaped the crowd to the main street and paused as a mouthwatering aroma wafted past him. His stomach growled painfully, reminding him that he had only had a mug of coffee early in the morning, and the colonel refrained from making a face.

Deciding to satisfy his hunger before actually beginning his search, Roy turned around to head toward a restaurant that caught his eye. He soon became aware that he was being watched by a small yellow-haired boy wearing an ensemble of a strange green hat, white shirt, and grass-colored overalls that clung to his small frame by one strap. A brown paper sack dangled from the boy's hand. Quietly, the blonde asked as he spotted Roy's watch, "Are you a National Alchemist?"

Roy nodded stiffly, knowing of the hate many towns had for the military, "Yes." The boy smiled slightly, "I hope you're as nice as my friend. He's a National Alchemist, and he really helped Xenotime before he left last time." Roy's mind registered two things the boy said: _National Alchemist_ and _Xenotime_. The only National Alchemist that had passed through this town in the past couple years was Fullmetal.

Cocking an eyebrow, he asked, "Is this National Alchemist you speak of named Edward Elric?" The boy looked mildly surprised, "Yeah. Mr. Ed (1) is the person I was talking about. Do you know him?" Roy nodded once, "Yes. I'm actually looking for him right now. Have you seen him around?"

The boy's smile disappeared, "Yeah, I have, sir. I went to get medicine for him." As if to prove a point, he held up the brown bag clutched firmly in his left hand. "My brother, Russell, is watching him. He's the one that found Mr. Ed."

Fullmetal was actually sick? The boy's brother, Russell, found him? Why did the fact that someone else found Edward while the blonde was in trouble make his insides writhe with jealousy? Roy fought to calm the storm of questions raging in his mind.

"Do you want me to take you to him, sir?" the boy asked cautiously. "I mean, if you know Mr. Ed, then he'd probably like to see you." Roy found himself smirking at the boy's statement. Fullmetal wanting to see him of all people? It was highly unlikely, however hard that was to admit. Oh well, Roy thought as he brushed it off.

"What's your name, kid?" Blue eyes blinked innocently, "Fletcher Tringham, sir. What's yours?" Tringham—the name seemed familiar, but Roy mentally shrugged it off. "I'm Colonel Roy Mustang, the Flame Alchemist," Roy introduced himself.

A pleasant smile spread across Fletcher's features, and Roy realized that despite most children's dislike of him, this one seemed to be able to stand him. His smirk softened into a closer to genuine smile, "Well, Fletcher, would you mind leading the way to Fullmetal?"

Fletcher grinned brightly and started walking back to Belsio's lemon orchard, "Just follow me!" Roy's stomach chose that moment to growl unpleasantly, and the younger Tringham brother giggled, "I'll get you something to eat while you're there, too." Roy was surprised by the boy's kindness; most people had a severe dislike for National Alchemists (2), even in a small town like this.

With a murmured thank you on Roy's part, the two continued on their way.

Having done what they could for Ed's fever, Belsio, Elisa, and Russell had left the room. Russell had wanted to watch over the older teen, but Belsio had asked for his help in making lunch. The tall alchemist had finally agreed, and now the bedroom was eerily quiet.

Slowly, hazy golden eyes opened to peer at a somewhat familiar ceiling. Edward Elric brought his flesh hand up to rub at his aching eyes. He dragged himself into a sitting position but realized his mistake too late as his lungs tightened painfully. A series of hoarse coughs emanated from his small frame and involuntary tears sprung to Ed's eyes.

This was what had happened earlier when he had first arrived in Xenotime. He had been walking along the dirt path just outside Belsio's house, wanting to drop by and surprise everyone, but his last coughing fit had struck him harshly, leaving waves of dizziness and heat in its wake. The Fullmetal Alchemist had promptly passed out and, Ed noticed with a wince, had most likely rolled down a nearby hill.

Sighing before taking a deep, somewhat hindered breath, he leaned back against the headboard of the bed. Belatedly, he noted that the attacks were getting worse. He had thought about visiting a doctor but had realized with a pained grin that there was nothing he could really do about the illness.

Red water poisoning—a few people he had come across in his travels had it themselves. He knew that was what was causing the attacks, seeing as he had been dealing with them since the incident at the Fifth Institute (3). While he was in Resembool, he had just hidden away in his room at Winry's house when they hit. However, the assaults on his body seemed to become more and more unpredictable with each passing day, and Al and Winry were starting to become suspicious. That was why he had started this journey—to escape the worried gazes and wary glances from both his brother and his mechanic.

Hearing the doorknob turn, Ed allowed his fevered gaze of molten gold to drift over the figure entering the room. A jolt of pain shot through his body, and he suppressed the urge to cough again. Swallowing thickly and grinning falsely, he greeted, "Hi Russell. It's been a while."

Russell hadn't really changed much. He was still quite a bit taller than Ed, and his hair was a little longer, as if he hadn't bothered with a haircut. However, he seemed unusually irritated at the moment, and Ed was loath to find out why.

"Ed, why aren't you taking care of yourself?" Russell's tone was somber, and Ed glanced down at the bed sheets clutched in his hands, both flesh and metal. What could he tell the younger alchemist? He _had_ been taking care of himself, but _slight_ complications had arisen. Finally becoming irritated with the oppressing silence of the room, he tried to defend himself, "I _have_ been taking care of myself! It's just—it's a long story, Russell."

A frown graced Russell's handsome features as he sat in the chair next to his bed. Staring at Ed, he demanded, "Tell me then. Since you don't seem like you're up to going anywhere, we have all day."

Ed glared at him and adjusted his position on the bed. Lying back down, he made a sound of frustration and annoyance. What if he didn't _want_ to tell Russell? He rolled onto his side, facing away from the taller blonde, "Here I came all this way to visit, and you're nagging me about things I don't want to talk about. I _didn't_ miss you, you know. I just came to make sure you weren't using my name again."

Russell smiled fondly at Ed's attempt to redirect the conversation. He supposed he would let the subject be for the moment, but he _would_ get his answers eventually. The taller alchemist reached over and playfully ruffled Ed's already messy hair, "I didn't miss you either, Ed."

**End Chapter Two

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**

_Notes_:

1) In Japanese, Fletcher refers to Ed as "Edo-san." I personally thought it would be cute for Fletcher to call him "Mr. Ed" in the story because I believe that's what the rough translation would be.

2) My DVDs call Roy and Ed "National Alchemists." In the dub, they seem to be called "State Alchemists" though. Does anyone prefer one title to the other? Or does anyone really care?

3) I'm not sure if it's actually called the Fifth Institute or not, but that's what it says in the subtitles.

_AN_: And so the second chapter filled with unintended fluff and angst is completed! I somehow can't just write one-sided RussellxEd since it makes me so happy to write it, so I think I'll make RussellxEd an official pairing along with RoyxEd.

_Next chapter_: Russell and Roy meet, and discoveries about Ed's illness are made by someone.


	3. Chapter 3

_Rating_: PG-13

_Warnings_: Shonen-ai (possibly yaoi), spoilers

_Pairings_: Roy x Ed, Russell x Ed, possible Envy x Ed, implied Al x Winry

_Genre_: Angst, Romance, Alternate Ending to the Series!

_Summary_: After receiving a call from a worried Al, Roy goes to investigate Ed's disappearance in Xenotime. Meanwhile, Fullmetal has come down with a nasty illness and is found by Russell Tringham. Romance ensues. RussellxEd, RoyxEd, and others. Alternate ending to the TV series.

_AN_: Hello everyone! Thank you for the great reviews! I never expected to get so many in such a short amount of time! Review responses are after the chapter. Once again, this story will be loosely based on the anime, and it pretty much ignores the real ending of the series and the events of episode 25.

_Disclaimer_: Fullmetal Alchemist belongs to Hiromu Arakawa, Square Enix, Funimation, and others. "Freeze My Love" belongs to Glay.

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Freeze My Love  
Chapter Two  
by Abyssinian003

The first thing Roy had noticed as he and Fletcher neared their destination was the groves upon groves of lemon trees. The air was fresh with the scent of the yellow fruits, and Roy took in a deep breath with barely restrained delight. It was so nice to be far away from the stench of Central's pollution!

Fletcher smiled brightly, "This is Mr. Belsio's house! It's nice, isn't it? He lets Brother and I stay here because our alchemy can help the plants." The fair-haired child's grin slipped slightly, "Well, that and the fact that we don't really have anywhere else to go."

As the boy opened the door to the small house, Roy thought about what the younger Tringham had said. They used alchemy. The Flame Alchemist silently gauged Fletcher's age. Alchemists were just getting younger with the passing years, weren't they?

The dark-haired man followed the light-haired child as far as the doorway and waited hesitantly. Noticing the dark-eyed man's predicament, Fletcher offered, "Follow me if you want, sir. I'm just going to drop off the medicine in Mr. Ed's room." Roy nodded and followed.

They wandered down the hall, stopping at a simple brown door. Fletcher knocked on the wood softly and called quietly, "I'm coming in, okay?" That said, he opened the door, and his blue eyes widened immensely. Roy's smirk faltered as his dark eyes took in the sight before him.

"Don't do that!" Ed batted away Russell's hand from his golden hair with a furious scowl. The younger alchemist smirked and ruffled Ed's hair again despite the other boy's protests. The shorter blonde retaliated rather violently, grabbing Russell by the collar of his white shirt and yanking him out of his chair. Realizing he was falling, Russell snatched Ed's golden braid, and the two ended up on the floor in a heap of limbs.

Russell found himself entranced by Ed's golden eyes as the older alchemist lay beneath him, braid loosened by their short fall to the floor. Ed couldn't bring himself to break the intense stare between them and blushed slightly as he realized exactly what position they had landed in. Slowly, Russell leaned down, and Ed's eyes slid shut of their own accord as their warm breath mingled. Then, just before their lips met, the door opened.

The taller blonde jerked his head upward, and Ed's eyes snapped open. The Fullmetal Alchemist's golden stare locked onto the intruders. When he noticed that in the doorway was not only Fletcher but Roy as well, he paled drastically but felt fierce amusement at the situation swell deep inside him as he caught sight of the faltering expression on the colonel's face.

Fletcher was the first to recover. Worry welled up in his blue eyes. His brother's face was a blank slate comparable to the calm before a storm. He didn't want Russell to be mad at him! He held the brown bag of medicine out in front of himself like a sacrifice to a terrible beast, "I'm sorry! I was just bringing Mr. Ed's medicine! I knocked!" When no one replied, he repeated himself, "I'm sorry!"

Just as Russell was about to say something to assure his brother that he wasn't mad, slightly irritated maybe but not _mad_, Roy's smirk came back full force. He gave a slight nod to the older Tringham before glancing at Ed. "Oh, I didn't see you there, Fullmetal."

The air suddenly filled with thick, angry tension. Russell found himself sprawled on the floor as Ed jumped to his feet. The small blonde marched up to Roy and glared as he shouted, "Who are you callin' a speck of dust that's so tiny it can't even be seen by dust mites (1)!"

If anything Roy's smirk grew at the teen's anger, "I said no such thing, Fullmetal." Ed sneered, "Bastar-" Before he could finish the word, there was an excruciating tightening in his lungs, and Ed coughed harshly and turned away from the colonel, bringing his hands to cover his mouth.

Roy seemed taken aback by the Fullmetal Alchemist sudden attack and a sliver of worry slipped through his mask. Alphonse hadn't been kidding when he said that his brother was coming down with a cold. His concern for the younger alchemist's health grew when the short teenager didn't seem to be able to stop coughing.

Then Russell had his hands on the boy's shoulders, saying, "Ed, breathe." The older alchemist shook his head to indicate that he couldn't and coughed particularly hard. Russell paled and caught Ed as the teen's body totally relaxed into a state of unexpected unconsciousness.

For the second time that day, Russell hoisted the older boy into his arms, carried him a few feet, and placed Ed on his soft, warm bed, sighing helplessly. He pulled the blankets up to cover the golden-eyed alchemist's body as a worried frown graced his lips. The tall blonde brushed the older teen's golden locks away from his forehead and turned to look for the washcloth once more. Fletcher simply held it out to him. Russell nodded to his little brother in thanks and gently laid the damp cloth across Ed's warm forehead.

After watching Russell care for Ed, Roy ran a hand through his short strands of obsidian. It was... odd to see the Fullmetal Alchemist felled by something as simple as a cold. He had seen the short teen on the brink of death, but, he realized with a misplaced sense of humor, he had never seen Fullmetal with a cold or any other sickness for that matter. Sighing, he tried to break the air of silence that had fallen over the group, "I see Alphonse was right to be worried."

Fletcher, who had silently been watching event unfold, perked up at the name of Ed's brother. "Al?" Roy nodded. "How has he been? Why is he not here with Mr. Ed?" Fletcher asked quietly, eyes downcast as if deep in thought. Roy blinked, "As far as I'm aware, he's fine. Better than Fullmetal, it seems. He's spending time with a friend while he recovers."

Fletcher's eyes shot up to meet Roy's, and alarm laced his boyish voice, "Recovers? Is he hurt or sick?" Roy blinked at the boy's innocence again before he could stop himself. They didn't know that Alphonse had been an empty suit of armor? Russell interrupted his train of thought, "He probably means that Al doesn't need to wear the armor any longer, Fletcher." The gray-eyed alchemist shot Roy a look that screamed, 'I want some answers later, and you'll give them to me or else.'

A tap on his arm caused Russell to look down at his brother. He tried to calm his racing heart; he hadn't even seen him move! Disguising his surprise, he calmly asked, "What is it, Fletcher?"

The green-adorned youth looked at Ed and asked softly, "What's wrong with him?" Russell sighed. What was he supposed to tell his brother? 'I'm not quite sure yet' wouldn't go over too well, so he simply decided to tell Fletcher about Ed's symptoms. After all, maybe the young alchemist could figure out what was wrong with the golden-eyed boy. "Well, he seems to have a constant fever, at least while he's been here. He also has those coughing fits, and, from what I've witnessed, he seems to pass out when they hit."

Fletcher frowned suddenly. Ed's symptoms sounded very much like Elisa's and most of the townspeople's red water sickness. However, Ed seemed to have a much worse case.

Worry tinged his thoughts as he looked from Ed to his brother. He couldn't tell Russell what he thought! His brother would freak out! Plus, he wasn't even positive that Ed had red water related illness. He needed to talk to Al to see if the younger Elric knew anything remotely helpful about the short alchemist's health. Noticing Russell and Roy watching him, the blue-eyed blonde replied with a simple, "Oh."

Roy seemed to be thinking somewhat along the same lines as Fletcher about letting Al know about Ed's condition. "Is there a phone that I could use? I need to call Alphonse to let him know about Fullmetal." Russell and Fletcher shared an inquiring look, as if each was asking the other an unspoken question, before Russell replied, "We'll have to ask Belsio first, but I'm fairly sure he'll let you use it." Roy nodded in thanks.

A light knock sounded throughout the room, and Elisa skipped into the room. She glanced at Roy hesitantly, eyes raking over his military uniform, before turning to Russell. "Uncle Belsio told me to tell you that he still needs your help with lunch. He says that even though you're worried about Mr. Ed, you still have to do your chores or you can find some other place to stay."

An expression of distaste flitted across Russell's handsome features as he sighed heavily. It was an empty threat. Belsio wouldn't kick him out of his house, but the dark man nonetheless used the threat to send him on a guilt trip. He ran a slender hand through his lemon-colored hair, letting his right eye become visible for a moment, "Tell your uncle that I'll be there in a moment." Elisa nodded happily and skipped out of the room.

Russell looked first at Roy then at Fletcher. A slim, yellow eyebrow rose, "Am I cooking for him also?" Fletcher smiled sheepishly and rubbed the back of his head in embarrassment. Russell shrugged and closed his eyes as he started out of the room, "I'll take that as a 'yes.' Feel free to come help me Fletcher, or you can stay here and watch Ed." He paused and decided after a moment, "Actually, take that man to see Belsio and call Al." That said, Russell sent one last glance back to the resting figure of Ed and padded down the hall toward the kitchen.

Quite a while later, Fletcher had called Alphonse, but, as it turned out, what the younger Elric had to say about his brother hadn't been remotely helpful in confirming Fletcher's suspicions. All Al had noticed was a simple cough, much like the beginning of a cold, but he had also supplied the fact that Edward had been sleeping quite a bit more than usual. Fletcher let out a sigh of exasperation. Why was Ed as sick as he was? More importantly, what was the cause of his illness?

The plant-using alchemist (2) quietly made his way to the house's kitchen. He paused at the simple wooden doorframe and listened to his brother and Mr. Mustang speak to each other with forced politeness. A smile tugged at his lips, and he quickly banished it. Now was not the time for laughter; it was time for some serious investigation into Ed's illness. Or, he realized with amusement, he could try to out-manipulate Roy Mustang and in the process instigate a subtle interrogation.

"Nah," he muttered as he shook his head, blond hair and green hat swaying from side to side, "I don't think I could do that."

**End Chapter Three**

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Notes:

1) I... could not come up with a better insult. If anyone has any Ed retaliations that they'd like to be used somewhere in the fic, just put them in a review, and I'll try my best to use them at some point.

2) Well, Fletcher used plant-based alchemy in the show, so I assume his alchemy centers around plant life normally, much like how Roy's alchemy tends to be centered around fire.

AN: Thanks for the wonderful reviews, everyone! I hope you enjoyed this chapter!

Next chapter: Discoveries will be made, and confrontations will occur... hopefully. These plans of mine don't seem to be working out too well. n.n;


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